A Life Discovered Ch. 09

Chapter 9 - Campus

Something was wrong. Rhys had woken up alone, and instead of the feelings of love and contentment he usually felt in the morning over his mental connection to Jade and Kat, he felt concern and upset. Neither woman was in the bed either. He quickly rolled out of bed, threw on the dressing gown he'd worn the previous evening and exited the bedroom, looking for his lovers. He found them, after looking in several upstairs and downstairs rooms, in the study. Kat was sitting at the desk, head in her hands, crying. Jade was kneeling next to her, comforting her. Both wore their dressing gowns.

Jade looked up as Rhys entered. She beckoned him over, and he knelt next to Kat, on the opposite side to Jade. "It didn't work," Jade said to Rhys, quietly. "The reading lesson didn't work. She was so keen to try it that she dragged me down here."

Rhys put his arm around Kat's back, and she swivelled round in her chair to face him. He moved in for the hug, still kneeling; she threw his arms around his neck and pulled him in. She cried onto his shoulder. "I was so hopeful," she sobbed, "but it didn't work. I pulled a book down at random, and I can't read it. I recognise the letters, but they don't make sense. I can guess at a few of the words, and one or two simple ones make sense, but nothing more than that."

Rhys pulled back from her. "Can you show me?" he asked.

Kat looked up at him in surprise and stopped crying, turned back to the desk and opened the book she'd previously selected from the shelves in the study. She started to scan down the random page she'd opened. She pointed at a word. "That one. I think it might mean 'Friday'?"

Rhys nodded. "It does."

"It looked like it did, but the spelling isn't right," Kat added. "You spell 'Friday' as 'af - er - eh - da - aye - ee', and that's not what that says."

Rhys stared at her for a moment. Then he told her, "Wait right there," stood up and left the room. They could hear him running up the stairs and, shortly afterwards, back down again. He burst into the room carrying another book. He handed it to Kat. "Try reading that," he told her.

Kat opened the book at the first full page of text. Her eyes opened wide. "I can read that!" she said, excitement plain in her voice. It says, 'It was a cold night. The stranger stood on the edge of the forest and..." She stopped when Rhys started to laugh. Jade knelt up to look at the book, and she also began to laugh.

Kat started to get annoyed. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

Rhys composed himself. "I'm sorry," he told her. "So, when you spelt 'Friday' out just then, you said the letters how someone from Seibjerg would say them. And you spelt it how it's spelt in Seibjern and not in Reijik. They are similar languages, which is why you understood some of what the book said, but they're not the same. The book I just gave you is one I brought with me from home - it's a collection of short stories. It's written in Seibjern."

Kat looked at him steadily. "And?" she said.

"You can read Seibjern. I sent you my memories of learning to read, but I learned to read Seibjern, and now so can you!"

Kat frowned. "I mean, that's kind of cool, but not very useful for me," she said. "No offence intended, of course."

"No, no, no, no," said Rhys. "None taken. But it means the technique worked! I can send you memories, and you can process them into your own knowledge and use them as you see fit. You now have the same starting point for reading that I had; we need to proceed with the next step now. We'll have another session like last night's, and I'll send you the memories of me learning Reijik as a foreign language.

"There is one more thing, though. Can we see if you can also write in Seibjern? If you can, that would be of some use, as you can write notes for yourself and us as well. Maybe even start a diary?"

Kat nodded and found a pencil and some paper in a desk drawer. She held the pencil, moving it around in her hand until she found a comfortable way to grip it. She already knew how to hold a pencil, as she'd already shown she was a talented illustrator, but she had to work out a compromise between the information she already had on how to grip it and the new knowledge that Rhys had given her. Then she started to draw, slowly and deliberately, with her tongue peeking out of her mouth as she concentrated. Rhys found that really cute. She put the pencil down with a flourish and looked at what she'd written. Rhys and Jade also looked and saw, in handwriting that was almost identical to Rhys's, "My name is Katarina Wildwood, and I can write in Seibjern."

Jade squealed in delight and made Kat jump slightly. "It's perfect!" Jade said excitedly. "I'm so proud of you!" and pulled Kat into a hug, the chair moving round on its own so the two women faced each other. Rhys moved to join in from the side.

Kat sat in the chair, her face wearing a strange expression - a combination of delight and embarrassment. She was saved by the bell ringing for breakfast. The hug broke up, and the three lovers, all wearing dressing gowns, made their way into the dining room where breakfast was waiting for them.

They usually had a relatively light breakfast, sometimes consisting of bread rolls with cheese or ham, fruit, or occasionally sweet pastries. They were typically set in the orangery, but today they were in the dining room, where a cooked breakfast was served. Rhys looked at Kat and Jade, smiling with one eyebrow raised. Kat shrugged. "We don't know whether we'll get time for lunch," she said. "It seemed better to be prepared."

Rhys kissed her on the top of her head and then kissed Jade on her forehead. "Thank you for looking after me," he said. "I sometimes think you two know what's best for me more than I do." He smiled to show he was joking, although he wasn't sure that he was. They ate a hearty breakfast, washed down with fruit juices and herbal tea, before there was a knock at the dining room door. Kat called whoever it was to come in. It turned out to be Louisa, the ladies' maid.

"How was your time off?" asked Kat.

"Very good, thank you, Miss Kat," she said. "I've taken a room on the second floor here, and the transport crew you sent - and thank you very much for that - will bring my belongings over today. I've given notice on my lodgings, and I hope to be staying here from tonight."

Kat clapped her hands in delight. "That's great news! However, please remember that just because you're staying on the premises doesn't mean you're on duty all the time. When you're not working, you're not working, and you can come and go as you please."

Louisa nodded. "Thank you again," she said. "This will make a big difference to my life. But, begging your pardon, I am on duty now, and you asked me to help you and Miss Jade dress in time to go out today? We ought to be making a start, if you've finished your breakfast?"

Jade stood up. "Thank you, Louisa," she said, and Jade and Kat followed Louisa out of the room. Rhys still sat at the table with the remains of his breakfast in front of him. He looked down, frowned slightly, then picked up his knife and fork again and finished his breakfast. Once he'd finished, he put his cup, plate and cutlery on the sideboard and then made his way up to the main bedroom. He opened the wardrobe doors and lifted out his favourite smart-casual outfit: a pale blue button-up shirt, light brown trousers, and a brown belt. He moved to the window and drew the curtains back. The weather outside looked better than yesterday - cloudy but not actively threatening rain. He selected a light sweater and a pair of casual brown shoes, put both on and wandered back down the stairs.

There was, as he had expected, no sign of Jade or Kat yet, so he opened the front door and stood on the threshold, looking out to Rowan Tree Road. There were a few carts delivering goods, including one delivering to his own house. A man and a boy appeared at the top of the steps from the basement door and headed to their cart. The man picked up a wooden tray laden with assorted vegetables; the boy picked up a sack of potatoes. The sack looked much too heavy for him, but he hoisted it onto his back and staggered up the path and down the steps. The man followed him, noticing Rhys for the first time as he headed up the path. Rhys nodded a greeting to him, and the man nodded back before also descending the steps. At another house, two men were unloading sacks of coal and emptying them into a hatch in the house's wall. Rhys went down the steps and looked for one on his home. He found it. The hatch had, logically, a cover with "coal" written on it.

He looked around again and saw that the delivery cart had moved further down the street, and the crew were offloading supplies into another house. A carriage pulled up outside his home. It was similar to the Hackney cabs they'd been using to get around the city, but somewhat grander. The carriage had two horses in front, and a driver sat on the front of the passenger compartment's roof. The wheels were shod in rubber, and the suspension was more advanced. The passenger cabin had large windows and, well, it just looked fancy.

Remembering the paperwork he'd completed that he needed to take to the university today, Rhys went back into the house and then into the study. He gathered the documents together and put them in a satchel, which he slung over his shoulder. He sensed that Jade and Kat were approaching, so he went out into the hallway to wait for them. The two women came down the stairs side by side. They wore black cloaks with hoods up over their heads, and the hem of the cloaks swirled around their ankles as they walked. Rhys noticed that Kat was wearing high heels; Jade was also wearing heels, but hers weren't as high. The difference went some way to equalising their height.

They saw Rhys and stopped at the foot of the stairs. He approached them; they looked at him, levelly, waiting for him to say something. It was obvious to him that they were wearing the cloaks for a reason, and he knew they'd let him in on the secret when the time was right. He just said, "Shall we?" Both women nodded and followed him out of the house.

Rhys helped each woman up into the waiting carriage. Jade went first, but Kat needed a little more help due to the height of her heels, her shorter stature and the size of the step up into the carriage. "I've been practising in these heels," she muttered as Rhys pushed her up and into the carriage from below while Jade pulled her up by her hands. "I've never worn anything like these before."

The ride across to the university was uneventful, and the women were careful to keep their cloaks wrapped tightly around them, even though the day wasn't cold or wet. The carriage pulled into a turning circle where three cabs were already waiting, and their passengers were getting out. A young man wearing a large badge that said "Welcome to the University of Chatamor" in white text on a black background, and carrying a clipboard, approached and opened the carriage door. Rhys climbed out first, turning round to lift Kat and then Jade down.

The man introduced himself. "I'm Matthew," he said. "I'm a student guide. Are you here to enrol today?"

Rhys noticed that he'd only addressed him and had pretty much ignored Jade and Kat. He nodded. "Yes, that'd be me. I'm Rhys Niain, reading General Studies."

"And who are your companions?" Matthew asked. Rhys was about to answer when he sensed movement from Kat and Jade, who were standing behind him, one behind each of his shoulders. He turned around to face them. They both smoothed their cloaks down and then, simultaneously, reached inside their necklines and each pulled out a lightweight chain with a leather loop at the end. They both held them out to him.

He realised they were leashes. He gave each woman a questioning look and received nods of confirmation back. He realised his chances of pulling today's deception off would be greatly helped if he appeared confident, assertive and stayed calm. He pushed the thought to the ring he wore on his right hand, then turned back to Matthew and reached both hands back. Each woman placed the end of their leash into the relevant hand. "They're with me," Rhys told Matthew, firmly.

Matthew just nodded. He looked through the papers attached to his clipboard until he found Rhys's name. "If you go up to the main square," he said, pointing through a grand arch, "look for someone wearing a badge with a light blue background. They'll guide you through the registration process and explain all you need to know about the School of Humanities."

Rhys thanked him and slowly started to walk towards the arch. Jade and Kat followed, keeping pace a step or two behind him, allowing their leashes to remain slack. He'd been surprised to see the leashes but immediately understood. They'd need to present themselves as his slaves today so they could get their university passes. He also suspected this was something that both of them wanted to do and, indeed, he could feel excitement and horniness from both of them, especially from Kat.

The university's entrance arch was, indeed, grand. It formed part of the university's walls that enclosed the main campus and stretched away on the left and right. The walls themselves were made of a creamy coloured stone and were high, maybe five times Rhys's height and topped with coping stones. They went through the arch and emerged onto a broad paved street between two rows of impressive buildings. They reminded Rhys of the townhouse he was staying in, except these were terraced and the front doors opened directly onto the street. If people had lived in them at one time, they no longer did, as the buildings had plaques on them outlining their current functions, such as "Personnel Administration", "Office of the Bursar", and "Marketing Department". There was a small, single-storey building between the first of the houses and the perimeter wall marked "Gatekeeper", even though there didn't appear to be any actual gate. Opposite it, there was another similar building marked "University Guards".

Rhys led Jade and Kat carefully up the road, very aware that Kat was new to high heels and not wanting to pull her off balance accidentally. They emerged into a vast square surrounded by tall buildings. Some of the towers and spires that they had first seen from the Spencer house were here. The square itself had a paved area around the outside with a large lawn inside that and a fountain in the middle, throwing a plume of water into the air. An army of tall, square tents had been put up on the lawn, and people were milling about. Linnae had been right; most of the people there were male. Remembering Matthew's instructions, he started to look around for someone who could help. He saw a woman wearing a pale blue badge, and they headed towards her.

"Hello, I'm Elin. Are you here to register today?" she said, holding her hand out once they got close. Rhys took her hand and shook it. "Yes, I am. In the School of Humanities, apparently." He noticed she was looking over his shoulder at Jade and Rhys with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Erm, it's not what it looks like," Rhys said. "They're..."

Elin cut him off. "You don't need to justify anything to me," she said sharply. "We'll go to get the administrative formalities done first, and then I'll give you the tour." She turned away from him and walked off briskly. Rhys also turned and looked at Jade and Kat. Kat had a non-committal expression on her face, but the corners of Jade's mouth were turned up as she suppressed a smile. He indicated Elin with his head, and both women nodded. He slowly moved off; Jade and Kat followed. Elin had stopped and was waiting for them, her arms folded across her chest, looking impatient.

"You're going to have to slow down," Rhys told her as they approached. "Kat, here," he raised the hand holding Kat's leash, "is wearing heels and she's not used to them. I'm absolutely not going to drag her around at pace and risk her falling. If you're not happy with that, or with me, then I'll find someone else to work with. Is that clear?"

Elin looked at him, staring into his eyes. With his newfound, if temporary, assertiveness, he held her gaze until she looked away. "Fine," she said and moved away at a slower pace. Rhys mentally checked in with Kat and Jade and then led them after Elin. They walked towards a building on one side of the square that had six stone steps leading up to a double-width open doorway. Upon reaching the stairs, he let go of the two leashes, turned round, swept Kat up in his arms and carried her up the steps. She looked up at him with pure adoration in her eyes, something that Elin couldn't help but notice as she watched them. Elin also noticed Jade's slight smile and the twinkle in her eye.

Rhys lowered Kat back to the floor and, picking the leashes up again, let Elin lead them through another set of open double doors and into an enormous hall. There were portraits, mostly of older men in formal attire, hanging on the walls between the tall, thin, arch-shaped stained glass windows. Six massive hammer beams supported the high ceiling, and a candelabra hung from each one. There was a row of tables down each of the long sides of the hall, with what Rhys assumed to be new students standing by each table and one or two older people sitting at the other side of each. A group of young people also stood in the centre of the hall, chatting with one another. All wore badges similar to the one that Elin wore, although in different colours.

"Start at the first table," Elin said, "and work your way down. When you've finished at the last table, I'll come and collect you, and we'll start the campus tour." She moved over to join the other guides in the centre of the hall and started chatting with a small group of them. Another young man was already standing at the first table, shuffling papers around and talking to the clerk sitting behind it. Rhys stood a respectful distance behind him, allowing him his privacy while he transacted his business.

The young man was finishing up as he collected his papers from the table and started to thank the clerk. He moved to the following table in the line, and Rhys stepped up to take his place, having let go of Kat's and Jade's leashes. "Name?" asked the clerk without looking up.

"Rhys Niain," Rhys answered. He knew that in situations involving officialdom, it's generally better to answer the question as succinctly as possible and not volunteer any extra information. The clerk had started to flip through a bundle of papers on his desk when Rhys became aware of a huge man approaching from his right. The man shoved Rhys out of the way, and Rhys stumbled to the side, almost, but not quite, falling to the floor. As Rhys regained his balance, he heard the clerk gasp, "Your Royal Highness!"

Rhys looked back and saw a short, round young man walking up to the table. He wore shoes with chunky heels, but even so, he was shorter than Kat would be barefoot. He also wore a black formal suit and a red bow tie, but the most striking thing about him was a massive gold medallion he wore on a wide red ribbon around his neck. The man, presumably a bodyguard, who had shoved Rhys out of the way, stood by the table, glaring at Rhys; another similarly huge man was now standing by the young man in the suit.

Rhys decided that now wasn't the time to make a scene; he wouldn't win in a physical altercation, and he didn't want to reveal that he'd found at least some of his magical talent to the wider world. Instead, he retreated to where Jade was standing. She had her arms around Kat's chest, clearly holding her back from going to Rhys's defence. Rhys approached Kat and comforted her. "I'm OK," he said quietly. "A little bruised ego, but that's all. Now's not the time to kick off with those goons. Let's keep our powder dry?"

Kat looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "You're probably right," she said, equally quietly. "I was just acting on instinct. It was as much wanting to check that you're OK as wanting to lay into that brute." She continued to stare at the man who'd shoved Rhys, but he wasn't paying her any attention, clearly not considering her a threat.

"Who's the guy in the suit?" Rhys asked Jade, but "Later" was the only reply he got. He nodded, trusting her judgement.

The "guy in the suit" had moved onto the following table now, his bodyguards having ensured it was free by also pushing away the person who was already being attended to. No one seemed to object to what they were doing. Rhys moved back to the table that had just been vacated. The clerk sitting behind it said, "Rhys Niain, wasn't it?" and made no mention of what had happened. Rhys offered him the sheaf of documents from his bag, including his identity document from the Seibjerg embassy. The clerk removed a few of the papers, put them aside and handed the rest back to Rhys. He found a document in the pile on his desk, showed it to Rhys and asked him to check and sign it. The paper listed his address in Rowan Tree Road, along with his name, date of birth, next of kin, and other personal information. It was all correct, so Rhys took a fountain pen from his bag and signed. The man took the paper from him and picked up a pocket-sized card off the table. He wrote Rhys's name on it and a number, then turned it over and wrote a few letters in a box. He handed the card and Rhys's identity papers to him and said, "Next table."

Rhys, Jade and Kat moved down the line. At each table something was checked, that his fees had been paid, that his qualifications from his small school in Solvstrom were in order, that his character references we acceptable, that his police report was clean - Rhys didn't even realise his school and local police had supplied the information - and each clerk took more documents out of Rhy's sheaf and added letters to a different box on his card. Eventually, they ended up at the penultimate table. Another clerk was sitting behind that table and asked, "Any slaves?"

"Yes, these two," Rhys said, indicating Kat and Jade standing a few steps behind him.

"I'll need to get their slave numbers," the clerk said, "Bring the slaves to me."

Rhys felt a panic rising within him because Jade and Kat no longer had slave numbers. Then he remembered the events of two days ago in the study at home. He knew now why the book had revealed that particular piece of knowledge to him. He went back to Kat and Jade. "He wants to see your slave numbers," he told them quietly. "I'm going to generate an illusion, so just go with the flow?" They both nodded and stepped up to the table. In perfect unison, they each released their cloaks, which were held closed by a clasp over their breastbones, and both cloaks dropped to the floor.

There was an audible gasp in the room, as a few people noticed, and then more gasps as others wondered what was happening and saw for themselves. Jade and Kat were simply stunning. If Joanna had helped them prepare, she had done an unbelievable job. It was true that Kat and Jade were both beautiful in different ways, but she'd transformed Jade's classically elegant looks and Kat's more relatable beauty so that both women gave a similar impression. The women didn't look like twins, or even relatives, but the overall effect was remarkable.

They both had body-hugging black dresses on with a strapless sweetheart neckline showing their bare shoulders and quite a lot of cleavage. Their dresses continued over their hips and stopped midway down their thighs. Neither woman was skinny, but the dresses managed to accentuate Jade's longer limbs and Kat's superb muscle tone simultaneously. Kat's short hair had been transformed into a tapered pixie bob, and Jade's longer locks were made into a braided updo, a ring of braided hair forming a sort of crown around her head. Both women wore fine collars around their necks that had a silver base and a green band running around them, which looked as though they were made of enamel. The fit on the collars was slightly less than perfect, as both were stock items from Mrs. Mather's shop, and both were removable, with a tiny hinge visible if you looked closely. They had a D-ring on the front where their leashes were attached.

Rhys, after recovering from the women's reveal, quickly unhooked the leashes and created an illusion so that Jade and Kat's collars appeared permanent and added an illusory tattoo on the back of their necks with fictitious slave numbers. Unnoticed by Rhys, a man seated behind one of the tables on the other side of the hall raised his head to watch.

The process of obtaining Jade and Kat's restricted passes for the campus was straightforward after that. The clerk recorded their slave numbers from the fake tattoos on their bodies. He didn't check them against any list, which saved Rhys from having to extend the illusion so he would "find" them. He wrote the numbers on tiny labels, which he stuck onto the reverse of a brass disc. The disc carried the university's crest on its front side. He clipped the disc to their respective collars and informed Rhys that he'd have to get the numbers engraved within seven days and have them permanently attached; otherwise, the disc would become invalid. The clerk then issued Rhys a pass, adding his name, admissions number, and an expiry date, and finished it by embossing the university crest onto the card using a large press. He also gave them a large envelope with "Welcome!" prominently displayed. When Rhys looked into it, it was full of more papers, so he put it in his bag, intending to read it at his leisure.

They gathered up the cloaks and moved to the final table, where the clerk took Rhys's pass. "Accommodation for one student and two slaves?" the clerk asked.

"Hello. And yes, please." Rhys added.

The clerk smiled at him. "While you're so polite," he said, casting a disapproving look at the "guy with the suit" who was now talking to someone wearing a university gown in the centre of the hall, "we've accommodation reserved for a student who decided not to stay with us after all. I'll release it to you instead. You can think of it as a free upgrade." The clerk wrote out a ticket and handed it to Rhys. "Your guide will show you to your accommodation block. Hand this ticket to the gate porter when you get there, and they'll give you the keys and direct you to the room."

Rhys thanked the clerk and turned to Kat and Jade. Elin was on her way over to them with a smile on her face. "I'd suggest putting your cloaks back on," she said to Jade and Kat, noticeably not indirectly by speaking to Rhys, as everyone else had done. "You'll cause a riot if you go out there like that."

Kat and Jade put their cloaks back on. "We might have a lot of walking to do," Rhys said, and Elin nodded in confirmation. "I can put the leashes back on if you want me to, but I'd be less worried about you if we didn't."

"Just clip them on," said Kat. "You don't need to hold them. Master."

Rhys smiled at her and clipped her leash to her collar next to the university tag. He left the leash itself dangling outside of her cloak. Moving to Jade, he did the same after receiving a nod of assent from her.

"What's next?" Rhys asked.

"I'm going to show you around the School of Humanities and some of the other important facilities on campus," Elin said, "and then I'll show you where your accommodation is. But first, while we're here already and to save walking," she looked at Kat's high heels, "why don't you have a look round the student society displays?" She gestured at the tents set up on the lawn of the main square.

Each tent housed a different student society, each vying to attract new students. They walked amongst the rows of tents until Rhys noticed that Kat was having trouble. Her heels were pencil-thin and high, and they kept sinking into the lush turf.

Rhys stopped and faced her. "Hold your hand up in mine," he said, holding his right arm in the air. Kat raised her left hand and grasped it. She gasped in surprise as he suddenly ducked down, put his head under her raised arm and then stood up. Her centre of balance and his pull on her arm caused her to fall forward over his rising shoulder. He steadied her with his arm, still holding her hand, and stood up. "Every older teen in Seibjerg gets first responder training," he said to no one in particular. "This is the best way to carry people long distances." He walked on down the row of tents, ignoring Kat's furious giggling, her head halfway down his back.

There were societies for all types of interests, including crafts, cooking, sports, music, board games, and languages. It was more than a bit bewildering. Elin explained that the societies all got funding from the university, which, in part, depended on the number of students signed up, so they were all keen to recruit. Rhys ended up signing up for the swimming society (SwimSoc) and the sailing and rowing society, both reflecting his love of being in and on water that he'd developed over his childhood in Solvstrom. He also signed up for SeiSoc - a society promoting the Seibjern language and culture. They were beyond pleased to have an extra native of Seibjerg onboard and asked if he could host some talks and language classes - he said he'd be delighted. While he was signing up for each society and talking to the existing members in their tent, he temporarily put Kat down, and she and Jade talked to Elin while he was busy.

They left the tents behind, and Elin led them away from the main square and towards another of the radial roads. Rhys had deposited Kat back on her feet as soon as they were back on a paved surface. He stooped a little and watched her eyes until she regained her balance; her blood had rushed to her head. She bent forward and gave him a tiny kiss on the end of his nose. "Thanks," she said and, almost as an afterthought, "Master."

Elin led them down the road - there were other new students with their guides, as well as the occasional unaccompanied student going about their business. "The main square is the academic centre of the university," Elin was telling them. "As well as the great hall, there are offices for the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor, meeting rooms and common rooms for the academic staff. The Great Library of Reiland is also here - they offer their own introductory tours, and the details are included in your welcome pack. I'd advise you to go to one of the sessions; the library is an amazing resource. I'll take you to the School of Humanities now."

The road was, again, paved and flanked by tall buildings with broad fronts. Each building was flying a flag of a different colour from its walls, and they fluttered over the street. Rhys noticed the second one on the left was flying a pale blue flag and assumed, correctly, that that was where they were heading. They turned into an archway beneath the flag and walked down a short passageway beneath the building, before emerging into a courtyard surrounded on all four sides by similarly sized buildings. The building on the far side had a tall spire and a pale blue flag flying from the finial at the top.

"Here we are," Elin announced. "The School of Humanities. The building facing us is where most of the common areas are, including a common room for each of the yearly intakes. There'll be a reception for the fresher year in your common room in a few days - details are in the welcome pack - and, from there, they'll show you to your lecture rooms and go through what's expected of students. Generally speaking, languages and literature are located in the building on the left, while history and philosophy are in the building on the right. Every other course, including general studies, is housed in the building we just walked under. The building facing us is mostly comprised of administration, common rooms, and the largest lecture theatre, the 'King Trygve IV Room'.

"All of these buildings are 'students and staff' only, I'm afraid," she said, looking apologetically at Kat and Jade. "I can take Rhys in and give him a bit of a tour, but you'd have to stay out here."

"Thanks for the offer, but if I'm getting a tour in a few days anyway, then I can wait for that," Rhys replied. "Today we're staying together."

Elin nodded. "I thought you'd say that," she said. "Let's continue the campus tour, then." She led them back through the passageway they had come down, and once through, turned right, making their way back to the main square. They crossed it and took another of the radial roads.

"We're now heading for the student quarter, although it takes up more than a quarter of the main campus," Elin said.

The road they were walking down was lined by walls of slightly higher than head height. There were arches spaced along the walls, and Rhys could see courtyards through them; some had grass lawns, while others were paved. One or two had small gardens. "Some of the large student societies own some of these buildings," said Elin, "and some are residences for visiting dignitaries and their entourages."

They reached the end of the line of walls and arches and emerged onto the edge of a vast, green area, backed by the high outer wall of the campus. Rhys recognised a running track and goal posts for many popular ball games. "University sports field," said Elin, a little unnecessarily. "The building at the far side is the gymnasium, indoor sports courts and," she looked at Rhys, "the indoor swimming pool. Anticipating his next question, she continued, "The sailing and rowing take place a little way outside the city, towards the Gronasen mountains. The water is cleaner up there. Sometimes SwimSoc goes there too to do open-water swimming. The societies normally arrange transport for organised events and training sessions."

The paved road ended at a gate in the outer wall; it had a closed iron gate across it. She led them down a side road, which led away from the sports field and the gymnasium. The road was lined with small shops, selling groceries, hot drinks, baked goods, stationery and many other necessities of student life. "These are convenience stores, so you'll pay convenience store prices," Elin advised, "but it can be useful to come here to grab a snack or if you've run out of something."

A little further down the road, they came to a large, brick building. It stood out from the other buildings they'd seen, which, except for the gymnasium, were built of stone. "This is the Student Association building," Elin explained. "The centre of the student universe. Most people call it the 'SA' - a bit of a pun on 'essay'. It's another 'no slaves' zone, but accompanied guests are fine." She looked at Rhys with raised eyebrows.

Jade handed him a tiny key. It was nothing more than a small metal disc with a very thin, needle-like prong protruding from it. Reasoning that any latch would be on the opposite side of the collar to the hinge he'd spotted earlier, he checked Jade's collar. Sure enough, there was a tiny hole in the green enamel, almost invisible unless you knew where to look. He inserted the key into the hole, heard a soft click, and the collar opened. Jade removed the collar and handed it to Rhys. Rhys repeated the same with Kat and then put the two collars into his bag for safekeeping. The two women removed their cloaks and followed Elin and Rhys up the ramp and into the building.

The entrance area was open-plan, consisting of groups of chairs set among dozens of round tables. A handful of groups of students were already there, having a light lunch, comparing notes, or just chatting. Again, heads turned as they walked in. The main feature of that area was a cleverly designed spiral ramp that led to the upper floor. It followed the walls around and occupied relatively little space, considering its size. Elin saw Rhys looking at it. "The building was designed by our architecture students many years ago," she said. "The ramp's a design concept. Not many people use it, and it can become slippery when it has been raining. There are steps at the back of the building, too, and most people use those."

There was a set of large glass doors off to the side. Elin led them through and into a large dining hall. The ceiling was high, and numerous windows lit the rows of tables and benches. There was a long serving station at the far end. "It's open during the day", she said. "The food is cheap and wholesome but pretty unappetising. It's fine for filling your belly, but if you want less basic food, there are the bakeries and restaurants outside..."

Elin led them out of the dining hall, through a set of double doors and down a short passageway. They emerged into a large double-height room with a stage at the far end and a balcony around the other three sides. "It's our performance space," Elin said. "It's set up here as a ballroom, but we can set it up as a theatre, or as a concert hall with standing space, or lots of other configurations." It was an impressive room. Kat approached Rhys and held him in one of the dancing holds she'd learned a few days earlier. There was no music, but they moved around the dance floor for a couple of minutes, gazing into each other's eyes. Once they'd finished, Kat swapped places with Jade, and Rhys danced with her. Finally, Jade grabbed Kat and the two women danced together, Jade dancing the lead part and Kat following. Once they'd finished, the three hugged. Elin watched on, a smile on her face.

The hug broke up, and Kat held her belly. "Lunch?" she asked. Jade and Rhys nodded. "Do you want to join us? At one of the outside shops? Our treat?" she asked Elin.

Elin thought for a minute, then smiled. "Yes, please," she said. "I should get back to accompany another student, but I also have a lunch break."

They headed out of the SA building and back to the row of shops they'd passed earlier. Kat chose a bakery that had some chairs outside. She took the order for the food, and Rhys took the order for drinks. Once they'd returned, the four sat at one of the tables and did some people-watching. Rhys recounted his upbringing around the lakes and rivers of rural Seibjerg, describing how this experience had evolved into a love of swimming and sailing. Elin told them how she was starting her final year of her degree in History and how she'd enjoyed her time at university. Rhys noticed, again, that heads turned as people walked past.

Eventually, they'd all finished. Rhys put Kat's and Jade's collars back on, and he and Elin returned the cups and plates to the respective shops. In the meantime, Jade and Kat had put their cloaks on. Elin said she'd better be getting back to the main square, but had promised to show them to Rhys's accommodation first. Rhys handed her the card he'd got during registration.

"I've been told," he said, "not to expect too much from the accommodation. I was told it was a narrow bed and a desk and not much else."

Elin looked at the card. "Well," she said, "it's for you and your two 'slaves', so it'll be a bit larger than a single room, but the same basic idea. The block you've been given has some nicer rooms, but none of them are, you know, palatial. Anyway, it's not far. Follow me." She led the group back towards the SA building and turned down a side street. The street, unlike all of the others they'd used inside the campus, wasn't straight. Instead, it meandered and branched - it felt much less formal. Rhys assumed it was meant to feel more like a typical town that had grown organically. It certainly felt more like a more relaxed place to live than the formal roads they'd walked along earlier. After only a few moments, they arrived at another large stone building. Similar to the School of Humanities, it had a passageway that led under one of the buildings, but a full-height iron gate blocked the entrance to this one.

"Here we are," said Elin, "the accommodation team will look after you from here. It was nice meeting you, and I'm sure we'll run into each other again at the School." She held her hand out again, and Rhys shook it, thanking her for the excellent tour she'd given. Elin hugged Kat and then Jade - Rhys thought he'd heard Jade say "Let us know" - and then Elin left, giving them a final wave.

Rhys produced the leashes from his bag and, after a nod from each woman, clipped them on again. He led Jade and Kat through a small door that sat to one side of the iron gates. It was so narrow that they could only go through one at a time. Inside, there was a small room with a counter at the far end. It was just like the ones they'd seen in the banks they'd visited, with glass going up the low ceiling and a small hatch for passing things through the barrier. There was, unsurprisingly, a man sitting behind the counter, watching them.

"Good afternoon!" Rhys said to him. "I believe I've got a room here?"

"Card," was the curt reply. Rhys passed the card he'd been given through the hatch.

The man took the card and looked at it. He peered at Rhys, as though trying to see if he recognised him. He didn't. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Rhys Niain," Rhys replied. He avoided the temptation to add "Like it says on the card."

"No," said the man. "Not 'what's your name?' Who are you? What's your position? Your title? Why have you got this?" He waved the card at Rhys.

"Erm," said Rhys, "I don't have a rank, profession or title. I'm an ordinary young man, a foreigner from Seibjerg."

"With two slaves in tow?" the man continued. "I thought Seibjerg didn't have slavery."

"I'm not in Seibjerg now," Rhys countered. "And, when in Reiland, do like Reilanders do." He was glad he'd asked the ring on his finger for more confidence today.

The man behind the counter glared at him before standing up and opening a large metal cupboard fastened to the wall. He took a bunch of keys out and passed them through the hatch to Rhys. "Go out through the other door. I'll send someone to show you."

Rhys thanked him, picked up the keys and led Kat and Jade through the other, similarly narrow, door. They came out on the other side of the iron gates, still in the passageway under the building. A man was approaching from behind the gatekeeper's lodge. He was dressed in a uniform consisting of a tight-fitting jacket and trousers, polished shoes, and a peaked cap. When he got nearer, Rhys noticed the university's crest on a badge over his chest. He also noticed he was wearing a collar.

Rhys let go of Jade's and Kat's leashes and held his hand out as the man approached. "Hello, I'm Rhys," he said.

Instead of taking Rhys's hand, the man bowed and said, "Follow me."

Rhys was a little taken aback that the man hadn't shaken his hand, but retook hold of the leashes and all three followed the uniformed slave. They came out of the passageway into another courtyard. This one had a formal garden in it, with paths crossing it from all angles that converged on a small fountain in the centre. There were wooden benches scattered throughout, and the corners of the courtyard featured seating areas covered by a wooden roof.

He led them directly across the courtyard and into one of the buildings. The entrance hall was pleasantly decorated but bare. From the far corners, corridors opened up to the left and right. Staircases led up from both the left and right walls. The uniformed man started up the left-hand staircase. Rhys dropped the leashes, and the three followed. At the top was a small landing with a single corridor running to the left. There were two widely spaced doors on each side of the corridor and a door at the far end. The man walked to the second door on the left and indicated that Rhys should unlock it. He did so, and the door swung open to reveal a pleasant room with large windows overlooking the courtyard and its gardens.

The uniformed man indicated a large envelope on the low table that took up the centre of the room. "For you," was all he said, then bowed and went back into the corridor, closing the door behind him.

"Well," Rhys said, "this is a bit nicer than I expected." He looked around; there was a fireplace with a small fire burning in it, a couch, a couple of armchairs and the low table. Kat and Jade had already taken their cloaks off, and Kat sat on the couch and kicked her heels off. Rhys went over and knelt, giving her a foot massage. She purred in delight. Jade sat next to her and also kicked her, much shorter, heels off; Rhys moved across to massage her feet too.

There was a door in each of the side walls. Choosing a door at random, Rhys opened it. On the other side was a short corridor. There was a door on the right side of the corridor that opened onto a small study area, also with views over the gardens. It had a desk under the window, with a chair and a few shelves, and that was pretty much it. The door opposite led to a room with a toilet, a small washbasin and a tiny shower cubicle. The door at the end of the corridor, though, led to a bedroom. He poked his head through the doorway and looked around. There were wardrobes, a chest of drawers, and three storage chests, one of which was unusually tall. The bed looked comfortable enough and would sleep all three of them, although it would be a bit of a squeeze.

The door on the other side of the main room led to a small dining room. There was a table with four chairs arranged around it, along with an empty dresser for crockery and cutlery. Rhys went to a door on the far wall and opened it. What he saw inside astonished him. The room was undecorated, with bare stone walls and floors. On one side was what appeared to be a tiny kitchen and laundry area, but on the other side were two cells. They were like the cells Rhys had seen back home in Seibjerg during a tour of the local police station. Each cell was about as long as he was tall and about half as wide, formed of iron bars that extended from the floor to the ceiling. Each had a door of the same design and a thin mattress on the floor with a blanket folded up on top of it. There was a grate in the corner of each cell that looked like it was for the slave to defecate and urinate into. This was the slaves' room.

Kat and Jade had followed him, and Kat, seeing what was in the room, shrieked. She ran forward, almost knocking Rhys out of the way and leapt into one of the cells, pulling the door closed behind her. There was a click. She stood up against the bars, holding them and looking out between them.

"A cell!" she said. "I've never been in a cell like this before! It is so," she hesitated, looking for the right word, "hot!".

"Let's just hope they gave us the key for the cell door," Rhys said. He was slightly annoyed at Kat's impulsiveness, and it showed in his voice.

"You've no idea, have you?" Kat replied. "You've no idea what you've been doing. Granted, Jade and I decided on the dresses, collars, shoes, and leashes. But you've been leading us around for a good part of the day on the end of those leashes, and then you threw me over your shoulder and carried me around. And you've been speaking to all those officials and demonstrating your confidence. I've been teetering on those heels and feeling a little scared of falling all the time. I'm horny quite a lot of the time when you're around, but today I've been super-horny. And now I'm in this cell, I'm almost out of my mind with horniness. I'm literally dripping here."

Rhys stared at Kat and heard another "click" from behind him. Jade had gone into the other cell and had pulled the door closed after her. She just smiled at him. He really, really didn't understand these women, but he knew how much they loved him and how much he loved them. He knew how much they took care of him, how they worked in the background to help him, even if he didn't think he needed help. He knew what he had to do.

He reached through the bars and grabbed hold of Kat's waist. He spun her around until she had her back to him and lowered his hands to the hem of the dress. "Hands up!" he ordered, pulling the hem up as he spoke. He kept on pulling until the hem of the skin-tight dress was above her head, leaving everything below the waist bare and just her extended arms visible at the top. No panties, he noted, then let her go for a moment as he took his rapidly engorging cock out of his trousers. He didn't bother to remove them, just fishing his cock out as if he was going to pee. He gripped Kat's hips and barked, "Bend!" She bent over, his grip on her the only thing preventing her from overbalancing. He lined his cock up with her pussy and just pushed into her. No foreplay. Just as she said, she was soaking wet down there. He rammed in and out of her, the angle causing his cock to rub over the sensitive area at the front of her vagina. It took less than a dozen strokes before she started to shake, then she cried out, and her knees buckled. Rhys, still holding her hips, lowered her as gently as he could to the floor, leaving her in a crumpled heap.

He turned to Jade and, again, said one word. "Clean." Jade sank to her knees and took his cock in her mouth as he thrust it through the bars. She ran her tongue around his shaft for a few seconds before Rhys pulled back. "Bend," he said again. Jade pulled the bottom of her dress up over her hips, but didn't take it any higher. She turned her back on him and bent forward. Like he'd done with Kat, he gripped her hips and just pushed into her. She was wet too, although not as much as Kat had been, and he could feel her vaginal muscles working as he slid up and down her tunnel. It didn't take long before he exploded into her, painting her innards with his cum and causing her to orgasm too. Her legs were shaky, but she remained in position as he pulled out of her.

"I'll go and get the keys," he told her. "Have a lie down while I'm gone." He moved through the dining room and back into the main room and grabbed the bunch of keys they'd been given. Walking back towards the slave room, he looked for a likely key. There were two similar ones in the bunch, so he tried one on the door to Jade's cell. It didn't work, so he tried the other. Fortunately, the door unlocked easily. He stepped into the cell and helped Jade up. "Go and get a shower," he told her, "while I sort Kat out." He used the other key to open Kat's cell and knelt next to her. He was no healer, but it was clear she was just exhausted. It was more difficult to pick her up from the floor than it had been to carry her earlier, but after a bit of juggling, he managed to get her in his arms. He lifted her off the floor and carried her through to the bedroom, laying her on top of the sheets. She immediately curled up again on her side, which Rhys took as a good sign.

There was a shriek from the bathroom. Rhys ran through to see what the matter was, but all he saw was Jade in the shower. "I let the water run," Jade explained, "but it didn't get any warmer. So I stepped in anyway, and it was colder than I expected!" Rhys smiled, relieved. "I found some soap," she continued, "but could you see if there are any towels, please?"

Rhys headed back into the bedroom and checked on Kat again. She was sleeping lightly on the bed, so Rhys went to look for a towel for Jade. He looked in the chest of drawers and the smaller trunk with no luck. He then looked at the slightly odd chest he'd noticed earlier. Its height reached up to his chest, which was unusually tall for a storage trunk, and it had a particularly deep lid. He opened the lid. He didn't know what he was expecting to see, but he certainly didn't expect to see a head. The head was fully covered by a rubber hood, except for the mouth, which was wide open. Rhys couldn't see the rest of whoever-it-was's body as it was hidden by two planks, which trapped the head in place in semi-circular cut-outs.

"Jade!" Rhys yelled. Jade appeared in the corridor, still wet and sliding slightly on the smooth floor. She ran as fast as she could to see what Rhys wanted. She skidded, literally, to a stop next to him.

"Oh my days!" she said. "It's an oral sex box. I've heard of these. This is one of the ways that the women who failed the pleasure slave training would be put to work. Sometimes men, too! We'll need to pull the chest away from the wall. Access is usually at the back. We'll need to do that to be able to get the hood off."

"I'll get some water!" came Kat's voice from behind them. Rhys's shout had woken her, and she'd straightened her dress as best she could and was now sitting on the edge of the bed, watching in horror.

Rhys and Jade heaved the chest away from the wall, trying to be as careful as they could. There were two small bolts on the back. They slid them open, and that released the back panel, which they then slid upwards and away from the body of the chest. They then slid the rearmost of the two planks holding the head in place out, and the head was free. A naked woman was kneeling inside, her body seemingly bound in some way. However, the priority was getting the mask off.

Kat had returned with an earthenware mug of water and was waiting. Rhys took the bottom of the hood, which came down to the top of the woman's shoulders. He started to inch it up, and Jade joined in on the other side. Slowly, they peeled the hood off the woman's head. Getting it over her chin with her mouth held open was a struggle, but eventually they managed, and the mask slid off her head. Her face was covered in sweat and had red marks in several places.

Rhys saw that her mouth was being held open by a rubber-covered ring that was sitting behind her teeth. He managed to work it free with his finger, and she worked her jaw once it was out of her mouth. Kat was there in a shot with her water, and she carefully fed it to the woman. She gulped it down, almost choking. Her eyes darted from side to side as she took in the scene in the bedroom - a man in a smartish shirt and trousers, a naked woman and another woman wearing a very crumpled dress.

She gulped down the cup of water, and Kat went to get more. "Are you OK?" asked Rhys, speaking Reijik. The woman just stared at him. Rhys didn't press, not sure of her physical or mental condition.

Kat appeared with more water and fed it to the woman again. She drank it more slowly this time, but finished the cup. "Tack fo vana," she eventually said, carefully and slowly, as if she were searching for the words.

Rhys looked at Jade. "Rovinari," she mouthed silently at him. Rhys nodded in agreement. Rovinari was the native language of Rovina, another member country of the Anaroc Alliance. Rhys had taken foreign languages in school back in Seibjerg. They'd concentrated on learning Standard, the official common language of the Alliance, and Reijik, as Reiland was the largest country in the Alliance and its economic and military powerhouse. But he had a working knowledge of Munn, Rovinari and the native languages of the other countries.

Jade was speaking to the woman in Rovinari. "We're going to take you out of the box now. I'm sorry if it hurts you. We'll try to be as gentle as possible." Jade was more fluent in Rovinari than Rhys was. The woman nodded, still working her jaw.

Rhys knelt by the woman, who was still kneeling in the now open box. He could see she wore a wide leather belt, and her wrists were attached to it at the back. Her folded legs seemed to have another leather belt around them, and her ankles were connected to the waist belt as well. Two more belts went above and below her breasts, pinning her arms to her sides. Rhys got down on his haunches and wormed his hands between her calves and her bum. He lifted as gently as he could, trying not to make her topple forward, and inched her backwards. Kat and Jade helped by pulling the box forward.

Soon she was kneeling on the floor, still trussed up. "I will put you on the bed now so we can release you," he said in his best Rovinari, and she nodded. He leaned her backwards slightly, and she squeaked as she felt herself losing balance, but Rhys held her. He scooped her up in his arms, carried her over to the bed and laid her down. He immediately released the belts around her chest and thighs. He looked at the chains that connected the leather cuffs on her wrists and ankles to the waist belt. The chains were padlocked onto the cuffs, but fortunately, the cuffs themselves weren't locked, just held in place by the buckle. He quickly removed them, and she started to move, then screamed.

As quick as a flash, Jade and Kat were with her. She'd grabbed her thighs, and Jade immediately grabbed one of her feet and started to push. Kat grabbed the other, and they held the pressure. Eventually, the cramps subsided, and she lay on the bed, breathing deeply.

Jade bent over her. "My name is Jade," she told her. "My friend here is Kat, and the man is our boyfriend, Rhys. What's your name?"

"Seven, nine, six," she said.

Thinking back to the early talks with Kat on board the Skotur, Jade tried again. "What did people call you when you were a child?"

The woman looked at Jade, who was still holding one of her feet. She looked as if she was trying to remember but was having difficulty. She cocked her head to one side. "Tyra," she eventually replied.

"Well, Tyra," said Jade. "Kat, here, is a healer. Will you let her examine you?"

Tyra nodded. Kat closed her eyes, still holding Tyra's other foot. Tyra's eyes widened slightly as Kat let her consciousness roam over her body. After a few moments, Kat opened her eyes. "Dehydration and malnutrition are her immediate problems," she said. "She has muscle wastage - this mustn't have been the first time she's been trussed up like that." Jade translated Kat's words in Reijik to Rovinari for Tyra's benefit.

"There's something else," Kat said. "She can't use part of her mind. It's as if it's been locked away and she can't access it. Or, at least, she doesn't know how to." Jade and Rhys nodded; Jade didn't translate that observation.

"There's an elephant in the room," said Rhys. Jade and Kat looked at him. "What's going to happen to her now we've found her?"

"We can't leave her here," said Kat, wide-eyed, that it might be an option.

"No, of course not," said Rhys. Kat looked relieved. "We need to get her away from here, so she's going to have to come with us. We've a short-term problem in how we're going to get her out of here. She's got no clothes and can't walk out. Even if she could, I guess we don't want people to know we've taken her away."

"Well," said Kat, "we need to move a few clothes and other bits and pieces in here for whenever any of us decides to stay over. How about we bring a trunk over in the morning with our bits and pieces in it, then use it to smuggle Tyra out?"

Jade and Kat thought that was a great idea. They agreed that Jade would stay there on campus with Tyra tonight, as Jade spoke Rovinari better than Rhys, so the two could talk. Kat and Rhys would go and get supplies for the night, then return to Rowan Tree Road, pack the trunk and come back in the morning.

Kat elected to go out in bare feet rather than wear her heels, as the roads on campus were mainly paved and relatively easy to walk on barefoot. Kat had been used to being barefoot when she was a slave, and it was no hardship for her to walk this way. Rhys grabbed the keys, and they headed out. They returned to the row of shops by the Student Association building and purchased some basic supplies, including bread, butter, milk, tea-making equipment, and a bottle of mixed fruit juice. Kat made sure they bought porridge oats, sugar and salt. Rhys found a hardware shop and bought a small oil-burning stove that they could use to cook simple meals, as well as fuel oil. They also bought candles, matches, and towels, both for the kitchen and the bathroom, as well as soap and toilet paper. Rhys saw a lightweight set of nested pans intended for camping trips. He bought a set of those too, some camping knives, forks, spoons and a set of four beakers. They packed the shopping into two jute bags that Kat carried and a wooden crate that Rhys carried.

They made their way back to their apartment. There was a new gatekeeper on duty who opened the large iron gates, as Rhys couldn't get the crate through the small gatehouse doors. He also showed them a large, full-height turnstile that they could use if the gatehouse were closed, which was operated by their room keys.

Arriving back at the apartment, they found Tyra curled up in a foetal position on the bed with Jade spooning her from behind. Kat and Rhys moved into the small kitchen area in the slave room and set up the portable stove. Rhys heated the porridge oats and milk in one of the pans, stirring carefully. The oil stove didn't generate much heat, but eventually the milk began to simmer, and the oats had softened. He stirred in some sugar and emptied it into the lid of the pan. It had a folding handle on the side and doubled as a bowl. In the meantime, Kat had poured fruit juice into one of the beakers and stirred a little salt into it.

Rhys brought the food and drink through, and Kat carried the bathroom towels. "Well done," Jade said quietly. She shook Tyra gently to rouse her. She awoke with a start, looking around wildly before Jade soothed her with words of comfort in Rovinari. They handed her the food and drink. They'd chosen it to introduce fast and slow energy into her system, along with fluids, salt, and nutrients. She grimaced at the slightly salty fruit juice but sipped at it. She started to wolf down the porridge, even though it was still quite hot. Jade had to advise her to eat more slowly so she wouldn't sick it all up again.

While Tyra ate the porridge, Kat had slipped out for a shower, taking one of the towels with her. Rhys heard the water running and Kat's gasp as she stepped under the cold flow. A couple of minutes later, she reappeared, naked and towel-drying her short hair. She flipped the towel to Rhys. He took the hint and also went to the shower. Unsurprisingly, he also gasped at the coldness of the shower, but it was, at least, refreshing. He towel-dried, using the same towel Kat had used, then laid it over the back of one of the armchairs in the main room. There was still a fire burning there, so it would dry more quickly.

He picked up his clothes from the small bathroom and walked back through into the bedroom to dress. Tyra had finished her food and drink and was sitting, still naked, on the edge of the bed between the equally naked Kat and Jade. She turned to look at Rhys as he entered the room. All of a sudden, she was alert. She shouted "Ik tranje sæd!" and sprinted towards Rhys. She threw herself down, sliding along on her knees and planting her face in his groin. Somehow, she'd managed to get his limp cock in her mouth and had locked her arms around the top of his thighs in a vice-like grip.

He'd understood part of her shout with his knowledge of Rovinari - "I need..." and then a word he didn't understand. He put his hands down to try to lever her away, but heard Jade shout "No".

Jade and Kat arrived at Tyra's side, kneeling alongside her. "Did you understand what she shouted?" asked Jade. Kat shook her head. "Partly," Rhys said.

"I need sperm," said Jade. "Not me, of course! That's what Tyra shouted." She was still locked onto Rhys, cock now down her throat. She was bobbing her head and making swallowing movements, very occasionally pulling further out so she could take a gasp of air.

"She seems desperate for it," noted Kat, who was touching Tyra's bare back. "Almost more so than water, food or even air. That wasn't in her head when I checked her earlier, or I'd have noticed it. It's almost as though the sight of you naked triggered something."

Jade nodded. "I've heard of sex slaves being 'trained' to be like that," she said. "I didn't experience it because a pleasure slave remains a rounded human being. It's not just about sex with us. As you know, my time with Lord Aspell was primarily spent as a companion and attending social gatherings, such as dances. But those who are destined for the brothels or worse, their experience in the training houses changes them so that sex is their whole life. They're grateful to be locked behind a glory hole for use in any orifice. Delighted to be suspended upside down from a rafter if men are going to fuck their mouths. It becomes their whole reason for existing. They become dependent on sperm, like someone who uses the poppy juice becomes dependent on having that."

Kat burst into tears and buried her head in her hands. Jade moved around to comfort her. Rhys was also repulsed, but Tyra had moved on to somehow simultaneously sucking and deepthroating his cock, and those feelings won over the horror of what Jade had said. He grabbed hold of Tyra's head, pulled her into him and exploded into her throat. Tyra's eyes changed from looking wild and desperate to contented, with almost a sleepy look. Rhys released her head, and she pulled back so his cock popped out of her mouth. "Tack zo," she said with a contented smile. Rhys understood that - "Thank you."

He felt awful for cumming in Tyra's mouth after what Jade had said, but Jade quickly reassured him. "She doesn't need sympathy or for us to be upset for her. She needs looking after and, for the time being at least, that includes sperm. It's the part of caring for her that only you can give.

"Let's stick to our plan," she continued. "If you and Kat get dressed and head home, I'll stay here with her and I'll see you in the morning." Rhys nodded, stood and helped Kat up. They hugged briefly and moved into the other rooms to collect their clothes. Dressed, Kat still in bare feet and carrying her heels, they hugged Jade, kissed her and bade her farewell."

They trudged along the fine streets of the University campus, both full of their thoughts, heads down and silent. Arriving at the main entrance, Rhys noticed a rank of cabs waiting close by. He went to the first of the two-person Hansom cabs in the line, told the driver their address, helped Kat up into the cab and climbed in himself. Their journey was uneventful, but neither felt in the mood for chatting. Rhys sat with his arm around Kat, and she pressed into him, resting her head on his shoulder. They were both thinking of Tyra and wishing they could be with Jade, helping them both. The cab arrived at their destination, and Rhys paid the driver.

They walked up the steps to their house. Mrs Hawthorne opened the door for them and immediately noticed their sombre mood. She held her hand to her mouth, gasping, "Miss Niain!"

"No, no," said Rhys. "She's fine. We've just had a bit of a shock at the university today, and she's staying at our apartment there tonight to help sort things out. She's sent us back to get some clean clothes for us all, and we'll take them across tomorrow. Is there anyone around who can help us pack tonight?"

"Lily is here," said Mrs. Hawthorne. "She'll probably be upstairs."

Rhys thanked her. "Just a couple more things," he added. "Could you send a runner to see if we can get a cart to take Kat and me, plus the trunk, over to the university first thing in the morning, please? We'll also have a visitor returning with us later in the morning. We found someone in an, erm, unfortunate situation, and we just had to help her. I'll explain more tomorrow, but could you let the rest of the staff know, please?" Mrs. Hawthorne agreed and headed down to the basement, whilst Kat and Rhys headed upstairs to look for Lily.

They found her in the bedroom that was to be repurposed as a "play room". There were boxes everywhere, ranging from small cardboard boxes to large wooden crates. There were also planks, longer lengths of structural timber, nails, screws and other fitments that Rhys couldn't immediately identify. Lily was doing her best to arrange everything around the existing bedroom furniture. She jumped slightly when Kat and Rhys approached, but readily agreed to help pack a trunk.

Kat suggested that each of them should pack two sets of casual clothes, one set of smarter clothes, and nightwear. Jade would need an extra set. She decided not to include toiletries, such as toothbrushes, towels, or similar items, as they could be purchased new and left in the university apartment. Rhys selected a trunk that he thought Tyra would fit into and insisted on packing several blankets so she'd be less uncomfortable. This confused Lily as the trunk was way too big for the clothes they selected. Kat had to explain that they were rescuing someone, and the trunk needed to be big enough for them. Lily was intrigued but didn't press further. Kat knew that titbit of information would be around all the rest of the staff within a few hours. She was okay with that.

Packing complete, they told Lily she didn't need to tidy the "play room" as the packages were only temporary and no one would be using it until the transformation had been completed.

Alone and back in the bedroom, Rhys and Kat stripped off their clothes and climbed into bed. Neither felt like making love; they just held each other.

"I've told you how lucky I am," Kat started. "You and Jade taking me under your wings, lucky. Falling in love with both of you, lucky. Finding out I've got magical talent, very lucky. I used to have 'born into slavery' on the opposite side of the balance, firmly in the 'unlucky in the great lottery of life' column. It's more nuanced now. I was unlucky to be born a slave. But not as unlucky as I could have been. Today has taught me that much."

Rhys just held her. There wasn't much he could add. He thought he'd been unlucky not to know his parents, but everything else in his life had gone his way. His adoptive mother had been excellent. He'd grown up in Solvstrom, a fantastic place to be a kid. Seibjerg, with all its faults, was a free country with its own language and culture. Yes, he'd been lucky too.

He had a thought that came to him like a bolt of lightning. Kat looked up at him, sensing something. "What?" she asked.

"Tyra couldn't have been born a slave," he said. "She speaks Rovinari and nothing else, as far as we know."

Kat raised her head and supported it with a crooked arm, still looking at Rhys. "You're saying that she must have been born and raised in Rovina?"

"Yes," Rhys replied. "And slavery is illegal in Rovina. It's only legal in Reiland and, if she'd been here any length of time before her 'training' made her like she is now, she'd have picked up at least some Reijik. I'm almost certain she's been captured from Rovina. Or sold."

They looked at each other, neither being sure whether that was better or worse than being born into slavery.

After a few moments, both realised there was nothing more to say tonight. Rhys closed his eyes, did some breathing exercises and tried to still his mind. Eventually, he fell asleep. Kat lay there for several minutes more, her own mind still spinning, and watched one of her lovers sleep. She watched him breathe; she watched his eyes twitch beneath his closed eyelids. She held him tight. She felt safe, as she did every night she spent with him. She thought back to how they met in that terrifying storm and how they'd fallen in love. She smiled and, like her man, fell asleep.